Apparatus for folding long webs or sheets of material

ABSTRACT

A folding apparatus for folding long webs or sheets of material, includes a drive roller and an adjacent, spaced pinch roller on each of the opposite sides of the web, the drive roller and spaced pinch roller on each side of the web define a fold zone therebetween and means is positioned to direct a stream of air between the drive roller and spaced pinch roller on each side of the web to impinge air against opposite sides of the web, each pinch roller is movable into engagement with its associated drive roller to interrupt the flow of air therebetween and the pinch rollers are movable toward one another into engagement with opposite sides of the web, whereby air flowing between the other pinch roller and its associated drive roller deflects a portion of the web into the folding zone between the engaged pinch roller and drive roller to fold the web.

I 51 Oct.15,1974

United States Patent Brown I v W N. G h N .wm o m m L m m L N lu d D w L m 3 OTBOMW FA.h RMHR, or n m n mmw .FAJ M m mm a PR w AOimAF M Ma n e 5 WWW and means is positioned to direct a stream of air be- [211 Appl' 367l46 tween the drive roller and spaced pinch roller on each side of the web to impinge air against opposite sides of the web, each pinch roller is movable into engagement [52] U.S. 270/6l F, 270/68, 270/69,

270/79 with its associated drive roller to interrupt the flow of [51] lint. B65h 45/70 air therebetween and the pinch rollers are movable tol Field Of 270/6l 79 ward one another into engagement with opposite sides of the web, whereby air flowing between the other pinch roller and its associated drive roller deflects a portion of the web into the folding zone between the engaged pinch roller and drive roller to fold the web.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,699,331 1/1955 McGarvey et al7 270/69 UX 3,429,568 2/1969 270/79 X 10 claims, 10' Drawin Figiires Primary Examiner-Harland S. Skogquist Assistant Examiner A J l l ein z V V Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Shoemaker and Mattare PATENTEUBBT 1 51814 33413621 SHEET 30F 3 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING LONG WEISS OR SHEETS OF MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a folding apparatus for folding long webs or sheets of paper or other material, and more particularly, to a folding apparatus which provides a continuous, alternate or accordion type folding of long webs of paper or other material.

For example, the invention is particularly suitable and is primarily intended for folding loft drawings from shipyards, automobile factories, aircraft companies, and the like, which make long wide drawings.

Conventional paper folding devices or apparatus are typically either of the buckle folder type, which require fold plates, or of the guillotine type, which require mechanical knives, to effect folding of the paper. Such devices are very expensive and complicated to construct and operate. Moreover, the reliability and durability of such devices is reduced because of the complexity of construction and operation of such devices.

The present invention, on the other hand, is excep' tionally simple and economical in construction and operation and comprises apparatus for folding long webs or sheets of paper or other material, wherein a long web or sheet of paper or other material is fed between two pairs of opposed motor driven rollers, including a drive roller and an associated, spaced pinch roller on each side of the web, each pinch roller and its associated drive roller defining a folding zone therebetween. Said drive rollers are engaged with opposite sides of the web to feed it between the two pairs of rollers, where an air blast is directed between the drive roller and pinch roller on each side of the web and against opposite sides of the web, said air blasts normally maintaining said web in an undeflected position, the adjacent pinch roller on each side of the web being moved in a predetermined sequence of operation into engagement with the associated drive roller to block the stream of air from impinging against a selected side of theweb so that the stream of air impinging against the other side of the web deflects the portion of the web into the fold ing zone on said selected side, the opposed pinch rollers on opposite sides of the web engaging the web on opposite sides thereof to feed said portion of the web between the pinch roller and drive roller on said selected side of the web to effect pinching of the web between said adjacent rollers on said selected side and thus folding of the web, said rollers actuatable to effect feeding of the web at various speeds and folding of the web at various intervals along its length and in alternate directions as desired.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which is simple and economical in construction and operation and which relies upon opposed pairs of rollers to feed a long web of paper or other material into a folding zone between the pairs of rollers on each side of the web, and wherein streams of air impinge against opposite sides of the web, said streams of air being selectively and alternately interrupted by said rollers to urge the web between a selected pair of adjacent rollers on one side of the web to effect pinching and folding of the web of paper. The rollers are operable to effect interruption of impingement of the streams of air on alternate sides of the web and folding; of the web of paper in alternate directions, or in the same direction, as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a folding apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view in elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1, showing the rollers in a neutral position and with the web being fed vertically downwardly therebetween;

' FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the rollers shown in one of their actuated positions to effect movement of a portion of the web to one side between the upper and lower rollers on that side to fold the web;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, with portions broken away, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in section, with portions broken away, taken along line 55 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view in section similar to FIG. 5 and is taken along line 66 in FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are schematic views showing different operational positions of the rollers to effect folding operations on the web of paper fed therebetween.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, a paper folding apparatus in accordance with the invention is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a frame means 11 with upstanding bracket support means 12 on opposite corners thereof, only two of which are shown in FIG. 1, the others being broken away for purposes of clarity.

A suitable bracket means 13 is suitably secured on the bracket supports 12 at each corner of the frame means, and an elongate roller support link 14 is received and held at one end thereof in horizontal position in each bracket means 13, the support links 14 being shown in phantom lines for purposes of clarity. The roller support links 14 are preferably supported in the brackets 13 through a suitable resilient connection (not shown) so that the links are enabled to yield or move relative to the brackets when a predetermined force is exerted on the links, as would occur, for example, when paper becomes jammed in the apparatus.

A pair of horizontally disposed, contiguous, parallel drive rollers 15 and 16 have reduced diameter, axially extending shafts or axles 17 and 18 projecting from opposite ends thereof, respectively, and rotatably supported in the other ends of links 1-4. The shafts 18 extend through and beyond the ends of links 14 at their respective ends of the rollers and are operably con nected with a suitable motor means M, only one of which is shown, for rotating the drive rollers 15 and 16.

A pair of substantially identical motor driven pinch rollers 19 and 20 are supported below and in closely spaced parallel relationship with drive rollers 15 and 16 by means of axially extending, reduced diameter shafts or axles 21 and 22 projecting from opposite ends of the pinch rollers 19 and 20 and supported on parallelogram-type linkage arrangements 23 and 24 at opposite ends, respectively, of the pinch rollers 19 and 20. The pinch rollers 19 and 20, with the associated drive rollers l5 and 16, define folding zones Z therebetween.

The parallelogram-type linkages 23 and 24 connected with each pinch roller include a pair of substantially identical, parallel, vertically oriented roller actuating links 25 and 26 at each of the opposite ends, respectively, of each pinch roller, and a pair of substantially identical, parallel, horizontally oriented roller actuating links 27 and 28 at each of the opposite ends, respectively, of each pinch roller, with adjacent ends of the links at each end of the rollers disposed in overlapping relationship and with the upper and lower ends of the vertically oriented links 25 and 26 having recessed or cut out portions 29 and 30 therein, respectively, in which the adjacent, overlapped ends of the horizontally oriented links 27 and 28, respectively, are nested.

The axially extending shafts or axles 21 and 22 of each pinch roller are pivotally received and supported in aligned openings 31 and 32 in the adjacent, overlapped ends of the roller actuating links 25 and 27. The lower ends of the vertically oriented roller actuating links 25 and the adjacent ends of horizontal links 28 have openings 33 and 34 therethrough, in which are pivotally received the ends 35 and 36 of elongate actuating shafts 37 and 38, projecting axially from opposite ends of Ledex rotary solenoids 39 and of conventional and well-known construction, and connected through links 25 with the pinch rollers 19 and 20, respectively. The openings 33 are greater in diameter than the ends of shafts 37 and 38 received therein to permit the links 25 to move a slight distance relative to the shafts to prevent damage to the shafts or solenoids in the event paper becomes jammed in the rollers.

Upon actuation of the solenoids 39 and 40, the actuating shafts 37 and 38 are caused to oscillate or rotate through approximately and in thus doing, are moved eccentrically to cause vertical movement of the links 25 and thus of the inch rollers 19 and 20 to move the pinch rollers into and out of engagement with the drive rollers. The solenoids 39 and 40 connected to the pinch rollers 19 and 20 are alternately operated by a suitable control means, not shown, so that one pinch roller is vertically raised into engagement with its associated drive roller, while the other pinch roller is spaced vertically downwardly from its associated drive roller. The solenoids 39 and 40 associated with the respective pinch rollers 19 and 20 are suitably yieldably mounted to the frame 11 by anysuitable means, such as springs 41, so that in the event paper becomes jammed between one of the pinch rollers and its associated drive roller, the pinch roller and its supporting links 25, and its actuating solenoid, are enabled to move vertically downwardly against the action of the spring 41 to avoid overstressing the components of the apparatus.

The outer ends of horizontal actuating links 27 and the adjacent, overlapped, upper ends of vertical links 26 have aligned openings 42 and 43 therethrough, through which are pivotally received the outer ends 44 and 45 of actuating shafts 46 and 47 extending axially from opposite ends of another pair of Ledex rotary solenoids 48 and 49 which are mounted on upstanding brackets 50 and 51 secured to the frame 11. The openings 42 are slightly larger in diameter than the ends 44 and 45 of shafts 46 and 47 to permit limited movement of the links relative to the shafts as before described with reference to openings 33 in links 25. The solenoids 48 and 49 are connected to the brackets 50 and 51 through a resilient connection, such as a spring 52 or the like, to enable the shafts 46 and 47, horizontal links 27 and pinch rollers 19 and 20 to yield horizontally in the event paper binds between the opposed pinch rollers 19 and 20.

The adjacent, overlapped ends of horizontal links 28 and vertical links 26 have aligned openings 53 and 54 therethrough, in which are received the opposite ends of a fixed pivot support shaft 55 supported in a pair of journals 56 and 57 on the frame 11. Thus, the shaft 55 comprises a fixed pivot relative to which the links are movable to enable the pinch rollers 19 and 20 to be supported for both vertical and horizontal movement upon operation of the solenoids 39, 40, 48 and 49.

A pair of elongate air delivery nozzles 58 and 59 are disposed on opposite sides of the rollers in a horizontal plane between the upper and lower rollers and the nozzles each have an elongate air discharge slot 60 and 61 therein substantially communsurate in length with the nozzles to discharge an airstream horizontally between the upper and lower rollers on opposite sides of a web W of paper or other material being fed downwardly between the horizontally opposed pairs of rollers. Suitable conduit means 62 and 63 are connected with the nozzles for delivering air thereto under pressure from a suitable source, not shown.

In FIG. 2, the rollers are in a neutral position, with the pinch rollers 19 and 20 spaced from one another and from the drive rollers, and the web W is being fed downwardly by the drive rollers 15 and 16 through the space between the rollers, where the airstreams from the nozzles 58 and 59 are impinging against opposite sides thereof with equal force to maintain the web straight and undeflected. The web, as seen in this figure, has previously been folded in opposite directions at spaced folds F, and F 7 In FIG. 3, the solenoids 48 and 49 are both energized to a first position, moving the links 27 and the pinch rollers 19 and 20 toward the folding zone Z into engagement with opposite sides of the web W to grip the web and move a portion of the web a slight distance rearwardly into the area or zone between the rollers. Simultaneously therewith, the solenoid 40 is energized to a first position, moving the links 25 and pinch roller 20 vertically upwardly into engagement with drive roller 16, shutting off the flow of air from nozzle 59 into the folding zone. Accordingly, the flow of air from nozzle 58 impinging against the web deflects the portion of the web into the folding zone between the drive roller 16 and pinch roller 20 and into engagement therewith, whereby the web is gripped by these rollers and forced therebetween to form a fold F therein. The solenoids 40, 48 and 49 are then energized to a second position, and the pinch rollers and their actuating links return to the neutral position of FIG. 2. This cycle of operation may then be repeated at any desired timed intervals to form a series of folds in the web all going in the same direction, or the solenoid 39 may be energized into a first position along with solenoids 48 and 49 to form one or more folds in the opposite direction in the web, such as at F,. In this connection, see FIGS. 7 through 10.

Any suitable control means may be connected with the solenoids to effect any desired cycle of folding operations on the web, and the solenoids and specific link construction described may be replaced with other suitable means, whether electromechanical or otherwise, to operate the pinch rollers as aforedescribed, to

control flow of air and to effect folding of the web. Further, the surfaces of the rollers may be suitably treated or roughened to enhance or reduce their gripping ability on the web.

A specific example of a folding apparatus according to the above-described invention, affects about onefourth inch reverse movement of the web into the folding zone and between a drive roller and associated pinch roller, and the enlarged openings in the ends of links 25 and 27 permit approximately one-sixteenth of an inch of overload movement of the links and pinch rollers. The springs connected with the solenoids permit approximately three-sixteenths of an inch of movement to release excessive pressure on the apparatus, caused, for example, by paper becoming jammed in the rollers.

Moreover, the particular, vertical orientation of the web and the horizontally opposed pairs of rollers can be varied or changed for operation in any suitable plane, with the web extending either vertically or horizontally, or any inclined position therebetween, as desired.

Accordingly, the apparatus according to the invention is very fast and reliable in operation and is both economical to manufacture and easy to use to provide any desired pattern of folding of a web or sheet of paper or other material.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. A folding apparatus for folding long webs or sheets of paper or other material, comprising a pair of opposed, parallel drive rollers for engaging opposite sides of a web of paper or the like to feed it between the drive rollers, a pinch roller near each drive roller and spaced closely adjacent thereto, said pinch rollers disposed in parallel, spaced apart, opposed relationship to one another on opposite sides of the web, each drive roller and associated pinch roller defining a folding zone therebetween into which said web of paper or the like is fed by said drive rollers, means adjacent the pinch roller and drive roller on each side of the web for directing a stream of air between the drive roller and pinch roller on each side of the web and against opposite sides of the web, and means connected with the pinch roller on each side of the web to move the pinch rollers in a predetermined sequence of operation against its associated drive roller to block the stream of air from impinging against a selected side of the web so that the stream of air impinging against the other side of the web deflects a portion of the web into the folding zone between the pinch roller and drive roller on said selected side, said pinch rollers movable toward one another to engage said web on opposite sides thereof to feed said deflected portion of said web between said drive roller and pinch roller on said selected side to effect folding of said web, said rollers actuatable to effect feeding of said web at various speeds and folding of the web at various intervals along its length and in alternate directions, as desired.

2. Folding apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said means connected with said pinch rollers to move said pinch rollers in said selected sequences of operation includes means to move the pinch rollers in a first direction into engagement with an adjacent drive roller to block the stream of air and to pinch the web therebetween, and means to move the pinch rollers in a second direction toward one another into engagement with opposite sides of the web to feed a portion of said web reversely into said folding zone.

3. Folding apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the means to move the pinch rollers in said first direction includes first solenoid means connected to the pinch rollers, and the means to move the pinch rollers in said second direction includes second solenoid means connected to the pinch rollers.

4. Folding apparatus as in claim 3, wherein first substantially vertically disposed roller actuating links are connected at the upper ends thereof to the opposite ends of each pinch roller and connected at the lower ends thereof to said first solenoid means, and first substantially horizontally disposed roller actuating links are connected at one of their ends to the opposite ends of each pinch roller and connected at the other ends thereof to said second solenoid means.

5. Folding apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said first and second solenoids comprise first and second rotary solenoids, and a shaft is connected with the first rotary solenoid and with the lower ends of said first vertically disposed roller actuatinglinks, said shaft connected to said first rotary solenoid to be moved eccentrically to thus impart longitudinal vertical movement to said first vertically disposed roller actuating links and thus to move the pinch roller supported thereby vertically, and a shaft is connected with the second rotary solenoid and with the other end of said first horizontally disposed roller actuating links, said shaft connecting to said second rotary solenoid to be moved eccentrically to thus impart longitudinal horizontal movement to said first horizontal roller actuating links and thus to move the pinch roller connected therewith horizontally.

6. Folding apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said first horizontally and vertically disposed roller actuating links at each end of each pinch roller comprise a portion of a parallelogram-type support linkage arrangement for each end of each said pinch roller, each said parallelogram-type linkage arrangement further including second vertically disposed roller actuating links pivotally connected at their upper ends with the other ends of said first horizontally disposed roller actuating links and second horizontally disposed roller actuating links pivotally connected at one of their ends with the lower ends of said first vertically disposed roller actuating links, and said second horizontal and vertical roller actuating links pivotally connected at their other ends to a common, fixed pivot. 7. Folding apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said rollers are yieldably supported on a frame means to enable said rollers to move apart relative to one another in the event paper becomes jammed between the rollers.

8. Folding apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said rollers are yieldably supported on a frame means to enable said rollers to move apart relative to one another in the event paper becomes jammed between the rollers.

its associated pinch roller.

10. Folding apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said rollers are yieldably supported on a frame means to enable said rollers to move apart relative to one another in the event paper becomes jammed between the rollers. 

1. A folding apparatus for folding long webs or sheets of paper or other material, comprising a pair of opposed, parallel drive rollers for engaging opposite sides of a web of paper or the like to feed it between the drive rollers, a pinch roller near each drive roller and spaced closely adjacent thereto, said pinch rollers disposed in parallel, spaced apart, opposed relationship to one another on opposite sides of the web, each drive roller and associated pinch roller defining a folding zone therebetween into which said web of paper or the like is fed by said drive rollers, means adjacent the pinch roller and drive roller on each side of the web for directing a stream of air between the drive roller and pinch roller on each side of the web and against opposite sides of the web, and means connected with the pinch roller on each side of the web to move the pinch rollers in a predetermined sequence of operation against its associated drive roller to block the stream of air from impinging against a selected side of the web so that the stream of air impinging against the other side of the web deflects a portion of the web into the folding zone between the pinch roller and drive roller on said selected side, said pinch rollers movable toward one another to engage said web on opposite sides thereof to feed said deflected portion of said web between said drive roller and pinch roller on said selected side to effect folding of said web, said rollers actuatable to effect feeding of said web at various speeds and folding of the web at various intervals along its length and in alternate directions, as desired.
 2. Folding apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said means connected with said pinch rollers to move said pinch rollers in said selected sequences of operation includes means to move the pinch rollers in a first direction into engagement with an adjacent drive roller to block the stream of air and to pinch the web therebetween, and means to move the pinch rollers in a second direction toward one another into engagement with opposite sides of the web to feed a portion of said web reversely into said folding zone.
 3. Folding apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the means to move the pinch rollers in said first direction includes first solenoid means connected to the pinch rollers, and the means to move the pinch rollers in said second direction includes second solenoid means connected to the pinch rollers.
 4. Folding apparatus as in claim 3, wherein first substantially vertically disposed roller actuating links are connected at the upper ends thereof to the opposite ends of each pinch roller and connected at the lower ends thereof to said first solenoid means, and first substantially horizontally disposed roller actuating links are connected at one of their ends to the opposite ends of each pinch roller and connected at the other ends thereof to said second solenoid means.
 5. Folding apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said first and second solenoids comprise first and second rotary solenoids, and a shaft is connected with the first rotary solenoid and with the lower ends of said first vertically disposed roller actuating links, said shaft connected to said first rotary solenoid to be moved eccentricallY to thus impart longitudinal vertical movement to said first vertically disposed roller actuating links and thus to move the pinch roller supported thereby vertically, and a shaft is connected with the second rotary solenoid and with the other end of said first horizontally disposed roller actuating links, said shaft connecting to said second rotary solenoid to be moved eccentrically to thus impart longitudinal horizontal movement to said first horizontal roller actuating links and thus to move the pinch roller connected therewith horizontally.
 6. Folding apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said first horizontally and vertically disposed roller actuating links at each end of each pinch roller comprise a portion of a parallelogram-type support linkage arrangement for each end of each said pinch roller, each said parallelogram-type linkage arrangement further including second vertically disposed roller actuating links pivotally connected at their upper ends with the other ends of said first horizontally disposed roller actuating links and second horizontally disposed roller actuating links pivotally connected at one of their ends with the lower ends of said first vertically disposed roller actuating links, and said second horizontal and vertical roller actuating links pivotally connected at their other ends to a common, fixed pivot.
 7. Folding apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said rollers are yieldably supported on a frame means to enable said rollers to move apart relative to one another in the event paper becomes jammed between the rollers.
 8. Folding apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said rollers are yieldably supported on a frame means to enable said rollers to move apart relative to one another in the event paper becomes jammed between the rollers.
 9. Folding apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said means for directing a stream of air between the rollers on opposite sides of the web, includes an elongate nozzle adjacent each drive roller and its associated pinch roller, said nozzles each disposed to direct a flat, wide stream of air into the space between a drive roller and its associated pinch roller.
 10. Folding apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said rollers are yieldably supported on a frame means to enable said rollers to move apart relative to one another in the event paper becomes jammed between the rollers. 